Cockroaches and the First Day of School

(This part of the blog was written Saturday, but couldn’t be posted due to internet problems.)

Cleaning my classroom has turned into something of an adventure. I swept and mopped on Sunday, feeling proud that I had so much accomplished. Soon I realized, however, that I had more work than I anticipated.

After moving the desks, chairs, and furniture into place I started work on my cupboards. Stuff was soon everywhere – papers, borders, puzzles, Christmas decorations, and tons of other miscellaneous items that other SMs had thoughtfully left behind but neglected to organize. The cupboards were dirty, too, and bits and pieces of thing I couldn’t identify yet littered the once-clean floor. My cleaning slowed drastically upon the discovery of cockroaches. The first day I found five. The next day brought the whole family.

I had one box left when I started work after lunch on Wednesday. It turned out to be the cockroach jackpot. Six cockroaches were all scurrying around in a packing box full of border paper and miscellaneous items. I am ashamed to say I stood on a chair and shook. I am perfectly fine handling one or two, but I was totally at a loss for how to kill six at once. Luckily, two of my fellow teachers were willing to help, and between them and a healthy portion of Raid my cupboards became free of pests (I also gained a large lead in the cockroach killing contest. I now have 12 with Brenda coming in next with 4). I also demolished quite a few ants nests and spider webs, making my classroom fully clean. I have picked up a cold that, for lack of a better culprit, I am blaming on the cockroaches.

This week we also got to do some more touristy things to break up the monotony of classroom cleaning. On Sunday I went body boarding again with the SMs who were not finishing up their SCUBA certification. My skills with a body board have not improved, but I am hopeful. Monday we went on an hour long “jungle tour” by boat. It was cool to see the jungle and the small village of people that lived there, subsisting off what they could catch and grow. The jungle trees are unlike any others, and I was amazed at God’s creativity.

I am almost ready for the kids to come on Monday. Almost. My bulletin boards are mostly done, my lesson plans have been turned in, and my classroom procedures are coming along nicely. Mentally, I am not sure about being in charge of 13 seven-year-olds. But God is good, and this week has two half days, which makes my job easier.

I realized that I have left out a lot of important facts about Palau and teaching, so here are the answers to many of the questions I have been receiving. There is no language barrier for me as a teacher. The kids all speak English well enough that they can understand me. The Elementary School is quite large, with over 200 students on average and two classrooms for each grade (except for 5^th and kindergarten). Local teachers teach some of the classes, including math, computer, music, and Palauan. Our curriculum and textbooks are the same as in the States, and we have chapel as a school every Wednesday. For school, the kids wear a white polo printed with the Elementary school insignia and either a skirt or khakis (the teachers can wear polos of any color).

The Elementary is currently renovating the gym, and it will hopefully be finished within a month or two. Right now it is a challenge for some of the teachers to reach their classrooms since all of the heavy machinery is in the way.

The temperature here has been in the mid 80s with high humidity. We have just missed the rainy season of June and July, and August is usually an unpredictable time for weather (which I am quite used to after living in Michigan). The rest of the year seems to be drier, although it never really cools down here. Interestingly, sunset stays mostly the same throughout the year, so they do not follow a “sunset calendar” like we tend to in the States. The sun goes down around 6:30 or 7, and that is usually the time that people go out and exercise. There is a track open to the community a little ways down the street, and it is quite busy at night. There are also badminton and basketball leagues that attract a fair number of players. I have joined the badminton league, despite my evident lack of prowess, and am enjoying the exercise. The only problem is sweating – after 30 minutes there isn’t a dry place on your shirt to wipe your face with (the locals sweat almost as much, making me feel slightly better). I have also volunteered to help with making a school track team for SDA (the elementary school) and will be helping as well with the newsletter and spelling club. Students from SDA have participated in the local spelling bees and in years past actually made it all the way to the World Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. All of the SMs are helping with outreach, Sabbath School, church, and VBS on Saturdays, so my days are sure to be full.

(Today’s blog)

Now the long-awaited report of my first day of school. Sunday night I was VERY nervous. I stayed up late making sure everything was just right in the classroom and making sure I knew what I was going to say. Then I prayed and slept well, secure in the knowledge that God was going to help me through.

Kids had already begun milling around in front of the school at 7 (school starts at 8). We went to staff worship brimming with excitement, and at 7:50 got our kids and took them to the classroom. Then it was off to chapel and back to the classroom.

If I could use one word to describe the day, it would be overwhelming. Teaching is HARD! Brenda (Coach B to the kids) helped me out since there was no P.E. today. She was a godsend. I was coughing a lot, and I had underestimated how much help the kids would need with every new activity (I had to spell everything from July to math for 13 kids). The kids are great, and I am excited to teach them. They do not seem to pick up on what I am saying, however, and I think I will have to repeat all the rules and procedures for at least the first week until they figure out what they are supposed to do.

We used finger-paint to put handprints on a bulletin board today that says “We are 2A”, and I think that was the kids favorite part of the day. It was mine , too, because they understood what I was saying! Another big hit was “Give me 5”, which is how I get them quiet (mostly-I’m still working with some of them =). I raise my hand, and count to five, by which time they should be quiet, still, and facing me.

I was so happy to be done at 11:30 today. I came back, ate lunch, and promptly fell into bed for a good 2 hr nap. Tomorrow is my first full day, and I am going to be sleeping, praying, and praying some more. Please continue to pray for me as I get to know my kids and continue my first week of school.

We're not in Michigan anymore...

I have been in Palau almost a week, and I have had many firsts: first time shimmying up a coconut tree, first raw coconut, first cockroaches killed (2-i am i the lead of our cockroach-killing contest), first time in my own classroom, first time climbing a deserted rock island, first time body boarding, and first time cooking for myself for an extended period of time (no disasters yet!). Most of my “firsts” have been pleasant (minus the cockroaches), and I am enjoying myself greatly.
There are twenty SMs total, nine girls and eleven guys. Seven of us girls are living in an apartment right across the street from the elementary school. The others are living at Palau Mission Academy. Other than the cockroaches, our accommodations are nice, and we have air conditioning, which covers a multitude of sins. The weather here is hot and humid, although not unbearable.
The start of school has been delayed until at least the 24th due to an outbreak of swine flu. There are over 600 confirmed cases, and the president himself apparently took ill. We are hoping that school will not start any later, as it will push the end of school back.
All the extra time certainly has its advantages, however. We went to a nearby waterfall (name unpronounceable) on Sabbath and cooled off by standing underneath the falls. On Sunday all the SMs and local teachers went to the Rock Islands. We spent the day snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on the beach. I also got to go body boarding on Wednesday.
We got our teaching supplies and keys to our classroom today. I am pleasantly surprised at the amount of supplies that I have. As I looked at the classroom, saw my desk and the cheerful alphabet border above the blackboard, I finally began to see myself as Miss Tait, 2nd grade teacher. Memories of 2nd grade with Mrs. Good came flooding back, with snack time, worksheets, and the hated skillpacks (the bane of my elementary school existence). I am excited, although I have not totally lost my pre-teaching jitters.
I plan to update my blog to update my blog every 1-2 weeks, and hopefully will manage to post a few pictures as well. All other pictures will be on my Facebook (although with about a 54K bandwidth, pictures will be few and far between). I’d love to here from you and get feedback, so please feel free to email me or comment me.
Some facts about Palau: *the ‘ch’ is silent in Palauan, making church ‘ur’ and the pathfinders “mar” *the water is so clear, you can see 200 feet down *there is a place called Milky Way where the water is nearly white because of the white clay-like substance on the bottom (supposedly a natural exfoliant) *there are four churches in Palau, though only two have buildings. There are also many small communities of Adventists that we will be helping with evangelism *raising the eyebrows and smiling means “yes”
(Jeremy, I am shamelessly stealing your idea as I think it's a good one)

Some of the SMs at Waikiki beach in Hawaii where we had teacher training for all Micronesian missionaries. All but the 3rd from the left are from Andrews.







Our first Sabbath at church. The interior is beautiful.







From left, Brenda and Jordan modeling the white clay-like exfoliant at the Milky Way.







A sunset on the way to Palau Mission Academy. The scenery here is absolutely gorgeous.